Transforming Secondary Education

News from Ford

22 December 2011

2011: Furthering Our Commitment

For 75 years, the Ford Foundation has been working with visionary leaders who have transformed the human experience. Over the past year, in the face of persistent economic uncertainty and the hopeful rise of new democratic movements, we continued to deepen our commitment to tackling some of the toughest social problems that confront the global community today.

In 2011, we made major investments in strengthening democracy, expanding economic opportunities, promoting open access to the Internet, improving secondary education and ending child marriage. In the years to come, we will harness our global network of people and organizations on the frontlines of social change to confront the many challenges that remain.

Marking 75 Years of Social Change

To mark our anniversary, our Visionaries Awards recognized 12 extraordinary leaders whose efforts on the frontlines of key social issues represent the work of all of our distinguished, dedicated grantees. As we envisioned the next phases of that work, we hosted three major anniversary forums—focused on the arts, metropolitan opportunity and human rights—that brought together leading social change innovators to explore what it will take to create a better future. More »

Supporting Diverse Arts Spaces

Early this year, Ford awarded grants to 12 U.S. nonprofit arts organizations that are in the early stages of developing exemplary cultural facilities that will engage their surrounding communities in new and creative ways—and spur new economic opportunities. The grants provide organizations with the start-up funds to develop new space. More »

Advancing Social Justice Through Documentary Film

In February, the foundation announced a $50 million initiative to help find and support a new generation of filmmakers whose works address urgent social issues. JustFilms is investing $10 million a year over five years to support and expand the community of filmmakers and mediamakers around the world who are focused on creating documentaries with passion and purpose. More »

Streamlining Services for Low-Income Working Families

Ford provided funding for a five-year initiative designed to allow states to experiment with new approaches to more efficiently deliver benefits to low-income families, including health coverage, nutrition benefits and child care subsidies. Essential supports like these are helping low-income American workers stay in the workforce and climb out of poverty. More »

Getting Wired for Change

The impact and success of everything foundations invest in depends upon realizing an open, safe and fully interconnected digital space. With this in mind, Wired for Change brought together 200 of the world’s most forward-thinking social innovators, technologists and philanthropists to consider how to create an innovative and equitable digital future. More »

Promoting Transparency and Accountability in Nigeria’s Elections

Democracy demands an engaged, informed citizenry—and Ford is committed to increasing citizen participation in the democratic process. This year, with our support, a group of Nigerian grassroots organizations created a powerful online platform in response to a lack of public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process. ReclaimNaija.net enabled Nigeria’s electorate to monitor and report on this year’s elections in real time, using text messages to document voter experiences. More »

Providing Equitable Access to Safe, Affordable Housing

In the thick of the global economic crisis, as we witnessed the continuing struggles of the U.S. housing market, Ford co-hosted a daylong symposium to chart a future for sustainable and affordable homeownership. Rebuilding the American Dream united leaders from diverse sectors who share an interest in finding solutions to the challenges low-income and minority families continue to face in becoming homeowners and achieving economic security. More »

Protecting Girls, Furthering Women’s Rights

In September, the foundation launched a global effort to end child marriage, a harmful traditional practice that inhibits the lives of 10 million girls in dozens of countries around the world every year—by exposing them to physical risks and dramatically limiting their opportunities. The Girls Not Brides partnership brings together a wide range of players, from community organizations to international agencies and governments, to drive change on this urgent issue. More »

Promoting More and Better Learning Time

The foundation invested in a comprehensive national effort to make expanded learning time the norm in American education. By working to extend the school day and enhance learning quality in schools across this country, we’re better preparing students for the challenges of a 21st-century economy—and transforming entire communities in the process. More »

To learn more about the work we supported throughout the year, browse a comprehensive list of our 2011 fiscal year grants in our grants database.